Al-Shaibani, who has 30 years experience in the field of accessibility to persons with disabilities, attributed his elevation to hard work. His appointment was announced during the General Assembly of GAATES held on Dec. 14, according to a press release.

Two vice presidents, one from US and Japan, were also elected, and the rest board of directors from (Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Jordan, Denmark, Libya, Austria and South Africa).

Al-Shaibani said, “This is international recognition of the Kingdom’s progress in the concept of universal design to serve all its citizens especially persons with disabilities and the architectural and engineering sectors.”

GAATES is a nonprofit civil organization, headquartered in Canada, and works in coordination with the United Nations body to broadcast the concept of universal accessibility for everyone around the world, according to the UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities on the year 2007, and ratified by 150 countries around the world.

GAATES has signed cooperative agreements with many Arab and Gulf States and a number of civil and governmental Arab and global associations and organizations, dealing with the universal design, to organize training courses and academic workshops to disseminate the concept of universal design for the benefit of persons with disabilities.